Burned Ambers
by ShinyRobin
Summary: AU where Tigerpaw helps exile Thistleclaw, resulting in the death of Thistleclaw and Bluestar. Rusty is refused entry to Thunderclan, and instead lives with Barley.
1. ALLEGIANCES

WINDCLAN

LEADER

SWIFTSTAR— a black-and-white tom with a very long tail. (Tallstar)

DEPUTY

DEADFOOT— a black tom with a twisted paw.

MEDICINE CAT

BARKFACE— a short-tailed brown tom.

WARRIORS

MUDCLAW— a mottled dark brown tom. APPRENTICE, WEBPAW

STAGLEAP— large dark tabby tom.

APPLEDAWN— a cream colored she-cat.

MEADOWSLIP— pale grey she-cat.

HAREFLIGHT— dusty brown tom.

TORNEAR— a tabby tom. APPRENTICE, RUNNINGPAW

ONEWHISKER— a young brown tabby tom. APPRENTICE, WHITEPAW

CHIPJAW— a light brown tabby tom with crooked, broken tooth.

QUAILDASH— a white she-cat with odd brown flecks and blind eyes.

WILLOWFANG— a thick furred silver she-cat.

JUNIPERCLAW— a grey she-cat.

APPRENTICES

WHITEPAW— a white tom with a bushy red tail.

RUNNINGPAW— a grey tom with white paws.

WEBPAW— a white she-cat with black speckles and webbed paws.

QUEENS

ASHFOOT— a gray queen.

MORNINGFLOWER— a tortoiseshell queen.

ELDERS

CROWFUR - a black tom with a silver muzzle.

DOESPRING— light brown she-cat.

MISTMOUSE— light brown tabby she-cat.

RIVERCLAN

LEADER

CROOKEDSTAR— a huge light-colored tabby with a twisted jaw.

DEPUTY

OAKHEART— handsome reddish brown tom

MEDICINE CAT

MUDFUR— long-haired light brown tom.

WARRIORS

BLACKCLAW— smoky black tom. APPRENTICE, HEAVYPAW

LEOPARDFUR— unusually spotted golden tabby she-cat.

STONEFUR— a gray tom with battle-scarred ears.

SWANFEATHER— short furred grey tom with a dark grey stripe

MOSSLEAP— white and light grey speckled cat

MISTYPELT— pale blue-gray she-cat (Mistyfoot)

APPRENTICE, SHADEPAW

SEDGECREEK— brown tabbt she-cat

LOUDBELLY— a dark brown tom.

APPRENTICE, SILVERPAW

RIPPLECLAW— silver and black tom.

SILVERSTREAM— a pretty slender silver tabby.

WHITECLAW— a dark warrior.

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER

WHITESTAR— big white tom.

APPRENTICE, RAVENPAW

DEPUTY

MOUSEFUR— small dusky brown she-cat. APPRENTICE, DUSTPAW

MEDICINE CAT

SPOTTEDLEAF— beautiful dark tortoiseshell she-cat with a distinctive dappled coat.

WARRIORS

LIONHEART— magnificent golden tabby tom with thick fur like a lion's mane.

APPRENTICE, SANDPAW

TIGERFALL— big dark brown tabby tom with unusually long front claws. (Tigerclaw)

DARKSTRIPE— sleek black-and-gray tabby tom. APPRENTICE, GREYPAW

LONGTAIL— pale tabby tom with dark black stripes.

RUNNINGWIND— swift tabby tom.

GOLDENFLOWER— pale ginger coat.

WILLOWPELT— very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes.

STONEPELT— old tabby grey tom.

WINDFLIGHT— grey tabby tom with a thick tail.

APPRENTICES

DUSTPAW— dark brown tabby tom.

GRAYPAW— long-haired solid gray tom.

RAVENPAW— small, skinny black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest, and white-tipped tail

SANDPAW— pale ginger she-cat.

QUEENS

FROSTFUR— beautiful white coat and blue eyes.

BRINDLEFACE— pretty tabby.

SPECKLETAIL— pale tabby, and the oldest nursery queen.

ELDERS

ROBINWING— small dusty brown tom.

HALFTAIL— big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing.

SMALLEAR— gray tom with very small ears. The oldest tom in ThunderClan.

PATCHPELT— small black-and-white tom.

ONE-EYE— pale gray she-cat, the oldest cat in ThunderClan. Virtually blind and deaf.

DAPPLETAIL— once-pretty tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat.

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER

BROKENSTAR— long-haired dark brown tabby.

DEPUTY

BLACKFOOT— large white tom with huge jet-black paws.

MEDICINE

CAT

RUNNINGNOSE— small gray-and-white tom.

WARRIORS STUMPYTAIL— brown tabby tom.

APPRENTICE, BROWNPAW

BOULDER— silver tabby tom.

APPRENTICE, WETPAW

CLAWFACE —battle-scarred brown tom. APPRENTICE, LITTLEPAW

NIGHTPELT— black tom.

QUEENS

DAWNCLOUD— small tabby. BRIGHTFLOWER— black-and-white she-cat.

ELDERS

ASHFUR— thin gray tom.

CATS OUTSIDE CLANS

SMUDGE— plump, friendly black-and-white kitten who lives in a house at the edge of the forest.

BARLEY— black-and-white tom who lives on a farm close to the forest.

RUSTY— handsome ginger tom.


	2. PROLOGUE

Stars twinkled bright above, as owls and other nocturnal birds chittered and made soft sounds in the wing. All was peaceful, and the moon shone bright through the trees, scattering shadows and light down unto the ground. Tigerfall was talking to Whitestorm, and chuckling as they watched an apprentice bet their friend that they couldnt catch their own tail as Bluestar spoke.

"We would also like to announce our new warriors, Tigerfall and Whitestorm." Bluestar finished her announcement, and dipped her head. Tigerfall felt a slight rush of pride as he was announced, puffing out his chest. Swiftstar nodded, and began speaking.

"Windclan has been doing well. Hares have practically been jumping right into camp and onto the freshkill pile. However we are concerned, as theyve been getting a tad aggressive, and high in numbers. If you happen to catch a hare crossing into the other territories, try and catch it with caution. We've had a few apprentices already be attacked."

A few cats began giggling, joking about how windclan was being attacked by prey. Tigerfall couldnt help but chuckle too, picturing a patrol being sent to deal with one single hare. '_Whoever is dumb enough to get hurt by a piece of prey deserves it_', he thought. Swiftstar sighed. "One apprentice is believed to be blinded for life, and another's tooth broke off. Barkface is concerned that the apprentice might not be able to eat without being in pain for the rest of their life."

The cats went silent, suddenly turning more somber. Tigerfall flinched, regretting his thoughts earlier. He looked at Whitestorm, who was quietly praying for starclan to give mercy on the apprentices. Tigerfall's heart panged for them, and he whispered a quiet prayer for starclan to make the right choices for how their lives unfold.

"I am sorry to hear that, Swiftstar." Crookedstar mummered, and Tigerfall realized he probably had a hard time eating, too. His lower mouth was slightly curled out and his teeth and tongue were exposed, and he had a slight lisp. Starclan knew how he managed to eat, especially with how riverclan ate their fish.

"Riverclan will begin next. The fish have been running well and plentiful, and we have four new warriors. Swanfeather, Mossleap, Mistypelt, and Stonefur. That is all."

Tigerfall looked and saw the three warriors huddled together, looking around and chatting with one another happily. They seemed slightly overwhelmed with the chanting that cane with the announcement, especially the grey and white one. Two had blue grey fur, and Tigerfall had to look at them for a moment, making sure he wasnt insane. He spotted who he assumed to be the other warrior, a white she-cat with a black stripe on her back. She was beaming and puffing out her chest. Tigerfall glanced at his clanmates, feeling odd. Whitestorm met his gaze, and the look he had sent dread down to Tigerfall's stomach. White-eye looked at Bluestar briefly, a look of confusion and dread on her face, before returning to her composed self. Thunderclan was whispering frantically, but Shadowclan cut them off.

Shadowclan went through how their moon had went, and soon the gathering was dismissed. As soon as the clan left hearing distance, thunderclan burst into whispering. All the cats that were old enough to remember saw who those cats were, and heard their names. Whitestorm was quiet, but Tigerfall could tell he was concerned. "Look, Bluestar has to address this sooner or later. Hopefully its just a giant coincidence." He tried to reassure his friend. He looked at the brown tabby, and shook his head. "Coincidences like these dont happen, Tigerfall."

Thunderclan arrived at camp soon after, and Bluestar went directly to her den, ignoring the cats who werent at the gathering asking what happened. Whitestorm looked around, and let out a huff of air as he followed to confront Bluestar. Tigerfall sat down to process the information, and White-eye settled down beside him, grabbing a piece of prey on her way and setting it down in front of the tom. Tigerfall shook his head. "You seein' the same thing as me, or is my other eye losing it?" She asked, sitting down and taking the prey from him to eat it. "You've not gone blind yet." Tigerfall smiled, but soon felt sick again. "Those were her kits. Starclan, werent they dead?" He asked. Tigerfall was too young to remember the details, but he remembered the kits. A happy, playful bunch. "Foxes, Bluestar said. Never caught the supposed bugger, and never found the kits either." White-eye paused. "Until now. Maybe-" White-eye never got to finish, as Whitestorm left Bluestar's den, and yowled for attention.

He quickly hopped off and joined the crowd that had formed long before the call, and Bluestar lumbered out. She looked tired, and took her time climbing up the highrock. The clan was silent, and only starclan knew what was about to happen next.


	3. CHAPTER ONE

It was dark. Rusty could sense something was near. The young tom cat's eyes opened wide as he scanned the dense undergrowth. This place was unfamiliar, but the strange scents drew him onward, deeper into the shadows. His stomach growled, reminding him of his hunger. He opened his jaws slightly to let the warm smells of the forest reach the scent glands on the roof of his mouth. Musty odors of leaf mold mingled with the tempting aroma of a small, furry creature.

Suddenly a flash of gray raced past him. Rusty went still, listening. It was hiding in the leaves less than two tail-lengths away. Rusty knew it was a mouse—he could feel the rapid pulsing of a tiny heart deep within his ear fur. He swallowed, stifling his rumbling stomach. Soon, his hunger would be satisfied.

Slowly, he lowered his body into position, crouching for the attack. He was downwind of the mouse. He knew it was not aware of him. With one final check on his prey's position, Rusty pushed back hard on his haunches and sprang, kicking up leaves on the forest floor as he rose.

The mouse dived for cover, heading toward a hole in the ground. But Rusty was already on top of it. He scooped it into the air, hooking the helpless creature with his thorn-sharp claws, flinging it up in a high arc onto the leaf-covered ground. The mouse landed dazed, but alive. It tried to run, but Rusty snatched it up again. He tossed the mouse once more, this time a little farther away. The mouse managed to scramble a few paces before Rusty caught up with it.

Suddenly, a noise roared nearby. Rusty looked around, and as he did so, the mouse was able to pull away from his claws. When Rusty turned back he saw it dart into the darkness among the tangled roots of a tree.

Angry, Rusty gave up the hunt. He spun around, his green eyes glaring, intent on searching out the noise that had cost him his kill. The sound rattled on, becoming more familiar. Rusty blinked open his eyes.

The forest had disappeared. He was inside a hot and airless kitchen, curled in his bed. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting shadows on the smooth, hard floor. The noise had been the rattle of hard, dried pellets of food as they were tipped into his dish. Rusty had been dreaming.

Lifting his head, he rested his chin on the side of his bed. His collar rubbed uncomfortably around his neck. In his dream he had felt fresh air ruffling the soft fur where the collar usually pinched. Rusty rolled onto his back, savoring the dream for a few more moments. He could still smell mouse. It was the third time since full moon that he'd had the dream, and every time, the mouse had escaped his grasp.

He licked his lips. From his bed he could smell the bland odor of his food. His owners always refilled his dish before they went to bed. The dusty smell chased away the warm scents of his dream. But the hunger rumbled on in his stomach, so Rusty stretched the sleep out of his limbs and padded across the kitchen floor to his dinner. The food felt dry and tasteless on his tongue. Rusty reluctantly swallowed one more mouthful.

Then he turned away from the food dish and pushed his way out through the cat flap, hoping that the smell of the garden would bring back the feelings from his dream.

Outside, the moon was bright. It was raining lightly. Rusty stalked down the tidy garden, following the starlit gravel path, feeling the stones cold and sharp beneath his paws. He made his dirt beneath a large bush with glossy green leaves and heavy purple flowers. Their sickly sweet scent cloyed the damp air around him, and he curled his lip to drive the smell out of his nostrils.

Afterward, Rusty settled down on top of one of the posts in the fence that marked the limits of his garden. It was a favorite spot of his, as he could see right into the neighboring gardens as well as into the dense green forest on the other side of the garden fence.

The rain had stopped. Behind him, the close-cropped lawn was bathed in moonlight, but beyond his fence the woods were full of shadows. Rusty stretched his head forward to take a sniff of the damp air. His skin was warm and dry under his thick coat, but he could feel the weight of the raindrops that sparkled on his ginger fur.

He heard his owners giving him one last call from the back door. If he went to them now, they would greet him with gentle words and caresses and welcome him onto their bed, where he would curl, purring, warm in the crook of a bent knee.

But this time Rusty ignored his owners' voices and turned his gaze back to the forest. The crisp smell of the woods had grown fresher after the rain.

"Rusty!" Rusty turned his head to see a plump, black and white cat balancing ungracefully on the fence. Rusty smiled at him. "Smudge!" Smudge came over, sitting beside the smaller ginger cat. "Daydreaming about the forest, eh? I wouldnt think about going in there if i were you..." Smudge said, as Rusty rolled his eyes. "Smudge, you know those stories are just kit tales." Rusty reassured, and Smudge nearly squealed. "They eat bones and sharpen their claws on stone! Ive heard from Henry that they kill kits and eat kittypets!" "Henry does nothing but laze around and sleep all day." Rusty paused, looking at the forest. "Rusty, dont you dare be going to the forest. You'll be eaten alive!" Rusty sighed. "Smudge, ill be back before sunrise. Im just going in for stroll, thats all." Smudge let out a defeated huff, and walked away. "Not my fault if you get yourself killed!"

Rusty sat down in the coarse grass beyond the garden fence. He gave his shoulder a nervous lick and wondered how much of Smudge's gossip was true. Suddenly the movement of a tiny creature caught his eye. He watched it scuttle under some brambles. Instinct made him drop into a low crouch. With one slow paw after another he drew his body forwardthrough the undergrowth. Ears pricked, nostrils flared, eyes unblinking, he moved toward the animal. He could see it clearly now, sitting up among the barbed branches, nibbling on a large seed held between itspaws. It was a mouse. Rusty rocked his haunches from side to side, preparing to leap. He held his breath in case his bell rang again. Excitement coursed through him, making his heart pound. This was even better than his dreams! Then a sudden noise of cracking twigs and crunching leaves made him jump. His bell jangled treacherously, and the mouse darted away into the thickest tangle of the bramble bush.

Rusty stood very still and looked around. He could see the white tip of a red bushy tail trailing through a clump of tall ferns up ahead. He smelled a strong, strange scent, definitely a meat-eater, but neither cat nor dog. Distracted, Rusty forgot about the mouse and watched the red tail curiously. He wanted a better look. All of Rusty's senses strained ahead as he prowled forward. Then he detected another noise. It came from behind, but sounded muted and distant. He swiveled his ears backward to hear it better. Pawsteps? he wondered, but he kept his eyes fixed on the strange red fur up ahead, and continued to creep onward. It was only when the faint rustling behind him became a loud and fast-approaching leaf-crackle that Rusty realized he was in danger.

The creature hit him like an explosion and Rusty was thrown sideways into a clump of nettles. Twisting and yowling, he tried to throw off the attacker that had fastened itself to his back. It was gripping him with incredibly sharp claws. Rusty could feel spiked teeth pricking at his neck. He writhed and squirmed from whisker to tail, but he couldn't free himself. For a second he felt helpless; then he froze. Thinking fast, he flipped over onto his back. He knew instinctively how dangerous it was to expose his soft belly, but it was his only chance.

He was lucky—the ploy seemed to work. He heard a "hhuuffff" beneath him as the breath was knocked out of his attacker. Thrashing fiercely, Rusty managed to wriggle free. Without looking back he sprinted toward his home.

Behind him, a rush of pawsteps told Rusty his attacker was giving chase. Even though the pain from his scratches stung beneath his fur, Rusty decided he would rather turn and fight than let himself be jumped on again.

He skidded to a stop, spun around, and faced his pursuer.

It was another kitten, with a thick coat of shaggy gray fur, strong legs, and a broad face. In a heartbeat, Rusty smelled that it was a tom, and sensed the power in the sturdy shoulders underneath the soft coat. Then the kitten crashed into Rusty at full pelt. Taken by surprise by Rusty's turnabout, it fell back into a dazed heap.

The impact knocked the breath out of Rusty, and he staggered. He quickly found his footing and arched his back, puffing out his orange fur, ready to spring onto the other kitten. But his attacker simply sat up and began to lick a forepaw, all signs of aggression gone.

"Hey there kittypet! You put up quite a fight for a tame kitty!" The cat meowed, and Rusty began relaxing. He was a bit disappointed, expecting a fight. "And ill fight you again if i need to." He growled, trying to look fearsome. Greypaw ignored his threats. "Im Greypaw. Im an apprentice from Thunderclan." He introduced himself, and he noticed Rusty's confusion. "Oh _please_ tell me that you know of the four clans." Rusty reluctantly shook his head.

"Well, in the forest theres four clans. Im from Thunderclan, the best clan. Theres riverclan, and they swim in water if you can believe _that_. Windclan lives on the hills and seem pretty nice. Shadowclan is the worse though. They eat twoleg garbage and i heard they sleep during the day and only go out at night. Bunch of creeps if you ask me." Rusty listened in, looking around at the forest. He knew the forest was big, but _that_ big. "Wait, be quiet." Greypaw said, despite Rusty having not said anything. The grey tom sniffed the air, before whipping around to Rusty, wide eyed. "Quick, hide!"

Rusty looked around, trying to find a suitable hiding spot. It was too late, however. "Greypaw, _what_ are you doing?"

A grey striped cat walked out of the bushes, amber eyes narrowed. "Is that a _kittypet_?! Have you gone soft, Greypaw?" The tom hissed, and Rusty let out a squeak, making himself smaller. A second voice called out. "Darkstripe, what is happening?"

A large, white tom walked out, and the dark cat, who Rusty assumed was Darkstripe, bowed down slightly. Rusty saw Greypaw doing the same and Rusty quickly put himself down, mimicing them.

"Whitestar, i found Greypaw mingling with an outsider. A kittypet, no less!" Darkstripe hissed, shooting a glare at Rusty. "Darkstripe, he is a _kit_. He is no harm to us." Whitestar said, looking at Rusty. "You fought against Greypaw quite well, young one. What is your name?" He asks, voice calm and welcoming. Rusty relaxed a little, getting a feeling that Whitestar meant no harm. "Rusty. My, uh, my name is Rusty." Whitestar nodded.

"Well, Rusty, the forest is no place for a kittypet. Especially a well fed one. While you hunt for sport and game, we have to hunt to survive. How would you feel if a stranger came into your den and ate your food?" Rusty thought about it for a moment. He knew his twolegs would think he ate the food, and his nose twitched as he imagined starving as his twolegs never noticed. "Well, i think id be rather unhappy, sir..." He said, shuffling his paws. Whitestar nodded, and closed his eyes for a second. "Darkstripe, take Greypaw back to camp. Ill deal with Rusty here."

Darkstripe opened his mouth as to say something, but closed it and nodded, heading off. Greypaw shot a smile at Rusty, before heading off with him. Rusty felt a tad sick, scared that Whitestar was planning to hurt him. He tensed up, waiting for the worse.

"Now, Rusty, you seem quite capable. Recently we lost some good warriors to Riverclan, and there arent many kits on the way as they normally are. I think, with a bit of training, you can become a good warrior." Rusty relaxed a bit, confused on what Whitestar was saying. "Rusty, do you want to join Thunderclan?"


	4. CHAPTER TWO

"Whats that smell?"

"Oh starclan, is that a kittypet?!"

"A kittypet? What is a kittypet doing here?"

"Whitestar brought him in, what is he thinking?!"

Tigerfall looked up from his half eaten prey, looking at the chattering warriors. Darkstripe had come to him the day before talking about how Greypaw was socializing with a kittypet, to which Tigerfall had rolled his eyes to. The tom was always getting into trouble with the kittypets nearby, and Tigerfall had to constantly make sure he wasnt off ripping the tails off of them. Once he had told him about his father leaving, Darkstripe and Longtail had declared they were leaving to go teach him a lesson. It took what felt like a moon to convince them not to do it. Tigerfall was angry for a while after his father left, but soon made peace with it, understanding why he did it. '_No fighting or starving, only the love of a twoleg. A simple life._' Longtail and Darkstripe were looking over to where a small, bright orange tom was, looking rather overwhelmed. Whitestar was quietly talking to the tom, flicking his tail at the dens and certain cats. '_No family to share it with, though_.'

"Didnt Whitestar say something about inviting outsiders into the clan?" Darkstripe asked, amber eyes on the kittypet. "Yes, he did. Something about needing more paws in the clan." Tigerfall responded. "Well did it _really_ need to be a cat with such a putrid stench? I swear between you and that kittypet, my nose is going to fall off!" Longtail hissed, sticking his nose under a paw. Tigerfall rolled his eyes, snorting. Then the smell of monsters, thunderpath, strongly scented twoleg flowers and a hint of dog hit his nose, and he wished that his nose would fall off. He sneakily curled up and put his tail on his nose, trying to block the scent.

Whitestar and his kittypet friend made their way to the highrock, and the two paused. Whitestar yowled for a clan meeting, and Tigerfall smiled in anusement as the kittypet joined the yowl with a surprised yelp. Tigerfall got up, sneezing and trying to get rid of the smell. Darkstripe and Longtail followed, sitting down near the back of the group of cats that had come over to see what was happening. Tigerfall could see Darkstripe was restless, and Longtail was slowly shifting away from the dark tom. Honestly, Tigerfall couldnt blame him. '_Starclan knows what Whitestar was thinking when he assigned the most carefree apprentice to Darkstripe. I know hes just trying to get Darkstripe to lighten up a bit, but if anything Greypaw is just going to get in more and more trouble._' He thought, glancing over to where the grey apprentice was sitting. '_To be fair though, i dont think any other apprentice would be better. Sandpaw was always ambitious and ready to serve her clan, and Darkstripe would just fuel that into an uncontrollable storm. Dustpaw is a mini Darkstripe and starclan knows we dont need two of them. Ravenpaw would probably just pass out as soon as Darkstripe snapped at him. At least Greypaw can take it and bounce right back into a smile._'

"Today on patrol we found a kittypet wandering onto our territory." Whitestar began, which causes whispering to begin. Whitestar pauses, waiting for the whispering to die down. "I understand some are concerned this means our patrols are lacking, but i instead see this as opportunity. Clearly this tom knows how to fight, as he defended himself honorable against one of our own, and his scent smells of kittypet, not of thunderclan. I propose we use this tom to spy on Riverclan, training him to learn of our enemies." Much of the clan began whispering, some curious and some sceptical. "What if he is caught? Surely, Riverclan wouldnt take sneaking around lightly." A cat said, and agreement rippled through the clan. "If so, how would Riverclan know Thunderclan sent him? As far as they know, he is just a lonely ki-"

"Look at his collar! He's no spy, he's just a kittypet!" Tigerfall nearly jumped out of his skin when Longtail yowled at the small orange cat. "Once a kittypet, always a kittypet. This Clan needs wildborn warriors, not a pathetic kittypet slinking around doing _our_ work for us." Tigerfall narrowed his eyes at the tom. "Longta-" he began, before Whitestar intervened. "Longtail, enough. We will decide if he is suited for such work. I will prepare an test to see if he is worthy to do this work. His exam will begin shortly, and then we will decide if he is to join Thunderclan or not. In the meantime, he is a guest. The clan is dismissed."

Tigerfall watched as Whitestar led the tom over to Mousefur, introduced the two, and left the tom with the deputy. He left to his den before the clan could bombard him with questions, and Tigerfall got up to go see this Kittypet. He got near, before a small black apprentice came scurrying over. "Ravenpaw!" Tigerfall purred, and only when Ravenpaw nearly squealed did Tigerfall realize it may have sounded like a growl. "Sorry if i scared you. Hows training?" He asked. Ravenpaw originally was supposed to be his apprentice, but a moon into the training Tigerfall realized that he was probably too intimidating for the paranoid apprentice. He requested a mentorship change, and Whitestar appointed himself as mentor. The two seemed to get along well, at least. The leadership position probably didnt help Ravenpaw's nervousness, though. "Its, uh, good. Its good. Whitestar wants to see you." Ravenpaw said, nodding to himself. Tigerfall tilted his head in thanks, before heading to the leader's den.

Tigerfall walked in, seeing Whitestar. "Who's the kittypet?" He asks, looking outside behind him to the kittypet, who was clinging to Mousefur and looking pretty scared. "His name is Rusty. Hes been looking at the border for a while now, but yesterday was the first time hes gone past the border mark." Whitestar says, licking his paw and drawing it over his ear. "Come on, sit down. You're blocking the view." Tigerfall nodded, moving and sitting down. He looked outside again, and saw Rusty and Greypaw talking. Whitestar turned his head too, smiling. "Its... Been a while." Whitestar said, and Tigerfall nodded. "Im sorry i havent been with you as often as i should be. Its just..." "First Sunstar's death, then Bluestar retiring, then Redstar dying, and then Bluestar's death?" Whitestar nodded, breathing in a shaky breath. "Thunderclan has seen better days. Im just thankful Crookedstar has backed off and announced the Sunningrocks as neutral territory for now. Im scared that he'll say something about it all at the next gathering, though." Whitestar closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Dear starclan, its been what, a moon since everything happened? I know it isnt right, but..." Whitestar opened his eyes, looking at the entrance to Rusty again. Him and Greypaw were sharing a mouse.

"Desperate times?" Tigerfall supplied, walking to his friend. Whitestar nodded. "We need warriors, more than ever. I just wish starclan would say something." Tigerfall sat next to Whitestar, laying his tail on his back. The slightly smaller tom leaned onto his shoulder, accepting the comfort. "They have, we just need to listen harder." Tigerfall said, sighing. "Now, i dont think you sent your apprentice after me for this. What did you want?" He asked quietly, and Whitestar nodded, getting off the tom. "Right, i almost forgot. I need you to do something for me, about the exam..."


	5. CHAPTER THREE

Rusty walked around camp, looking at all the cats watching him. He was following Greypaw, who was showing him all the dens even though he had already had a tour by Whitestar. Greypaw's cheeriness would have been nice, if it hadnt been for the cats glaring pine needles into his flesh.

"Hey Greypaw, who are those two cats?" Rusty asked, looking behind at a pale and a dark grey tom. "Oh, those two are Darkstripe and Longtail. Darkstripe is my mentor, and Longtail sticks around Tigerfall. Both of them do, actually. Its really weird, actually. I asked Darkstripe about it but he almost ripped off my fur. If you asked me, id say theyre just a bunch of lost kits clinging to a good cat. Surprised Tigerfall hasnt just dumped the two by now." He said, continuing his tour. "And this is the nursery!" He announced overdramatically.

"Why do you have such weird names? Darkstripe, Greypaw, Whitestar..." Rusty asked. Greypaw looked like someone had announced free meowmix for dinner. "Oh! Well, when a cat is born they get a name. Greykit, Ravenkit, Whitekit, things like that! Its the mothers choice but its usually what the kit looks like. They all look weird to me, though... When they prove themselves worthy to be a warrior, they get the second part of their name, which is supposed to be something about their talents and gifts to the clan. Theres a whole story to it, but the elders would know it better than i do. Something about how starclan gave the names to honorable warriors and we use them in their honor." Greypaw explained.

"Paw means we are apprentices, and Star means theyre the leader of the clan. Most leaders dont use the names with meanings like that, but some cats get special treatment. Like Tigerfall, or Spottedleaf." Rusty tilted his head. "So... Tigerfall looks like a tiger...? What does Fall mean then?" Greypaw shrugged. "I wasnt around back then, but i think what happened was that his mentor was into bad stuff. Tried killing our previous leader, Bluestar. Tigerfall found out and warned her before it happened, so his mentor was exiled and Bluestar named him after the fall of his mentor. Turns out he killed Bluestar recently in a battle, too." Rusty shivered. '_Were all clan cats out for blood? First Longtail yelling threats at me then Tigerfall's mentor..._' He looked around, trying to find the cat that looked like a 'Tiger'. He spotted him at the entrance to the leader's den, coming out. '_At least Tigerfall sounds better, even if he has those cats tailing him..._'

"Oh hey, Mousefur is coming! Hi!" Greypaw sat down, smiling at the brown she-cat. "Hello Greypaw. Dont you have better things to do than annoy Rusty?" She purred. Rusty quickly came to the defense of his new friend. "He isnt annoying, hes just trying to show me the ropes!" He said, puffing up. Greypaw tilted his head, blinking. "If you're going to join Thunderclan, spy or not, you need to drop your kittypet slang. Im guessing Greypaw will help you with that." Greypaw nodded. "Yep! He'll be sounding like a wild-bred mouse-fed cat in no time!" He announced confidently. Mousefur purred in amusement. "Well Rusty will need all the help he can get. Its time for your exam. Ill be watching over you. Come, follow me."

Mousefur led Rusty out of the camp, and immediately the scents of the wild assaulted Rusty's nose. Mousefur smiled as Rusty, too focused on the new smells, walked right into a bush. "Come now, dont be running away from us now." She said, helping Rusty out of the bush. Rusty's fur heated up from embarrassment. Soon the two arrived at a sandy clearing, the ground worn from paws. "Now, onto your exam. All you need to do is hunt three pieces of prey. Its simple." She explained, ducking into a hunting crouch. "Try to make as little sound as you can, and dont twist around mid air. It hurts like starclan's wraith if you dont land on your paws and hit a root or a rock." Rusty nodded, noting that quietly. "If everything suddenly smells off or different, you pronably walked onto another clan's territory. Come back before you get in trouble. Otherwise, i think thats it." She said. Rusty stayed where he was, expecting a 'Go' or something.

"Well? Go on, go hunt!" Mousefur purred, amused. Rusty nodded, skin warm again, running off. Eventually he slowed down, panting a bit. He sat down, part of him taking a breather and the other part rationalizing this all as listening for prey. His ears surveyed the area, even though he knew his running probably scared most of the prey away. However, he managed to pick up something. "...And we will attack. Its foolproof. Now all we need to do is wait until the leader comes and kill him."

Rusty froze. His heart began beating faster. '_Kill?!_' He begged whoever would hear him that he heard on. The voice continued despite the silent pleas. "First we killed that bratty apprentice. Perfect bait..." He heard a voice chitter in laughter. The voice nearly made Rusty cry out. "Never would shut her mouth, would she?" He recognized the cat as the tom that yelled at him earlier. Longtail, wasnt it?

Everything in Rusty yelled at him to run away. It told him to never return, that the forest wasnt for a collar wearing kittypet. He couldnt leave the apprentice though, could he?

Rusty turned, looking around. Trees surrounded the area, and the sound of prey and birds were silent. He could hear Longtail and the other cat, a tom he thought, going on still. He tried tuning them out, unable to listen in without being sick. He walked around, hoping for something, anything, before it dawned on him, and he looked down.

His metal bell was tinkling pitifully, and was attached by a metal ring. He constantly got it snagged and pulled and deformed when he ran around to use up any bursts of energy he got, and even a few times the metal had moved enough that the bell had slid off. '_Maybe if i can get it off..._' he thought, a plan brewing in his head. Rusty found a sturdy looking branch, low enough that it wouldnt hurt him for what he was about to do. He climbed up, struggling to get up the tail length tall branch. Eventually he got on, the weight of his small body bending the branch a bit. '_For once, im happy im small..._' He walked to the edge of the branch, lowering his neck and looping the metal on the end. He was shaking now, looking at the low drop. '_Here goes nothing..._'

He leaned off, letting gravity take over. He gasped as the metal held on, and his own collar began strangling him. '_No! No! This isnt how its supposed to work!_' He began spinning around, and his hind legs began trying to reach the ground. He was too small. His legs brushed the blades of grass, but never the solid, safe ground. He opened his mouth, tried screaming for help. '_Wheres Mousefur?!_' he wondered frantically, trying to get out. He couldnt breathe, and soon it felt like his legs didnt have enough energy to move. His eyes grew heavy, and his ears were filled with the sound of a lion's roar, his blood rushing around. '_No... I cant die, not like this...'_

**_SNAP_**

Rusty fell to the ground as his collar finally gave, and the bell went tumbling, ringing softly. The orange tom breathed, having to stop himself from sobbing in relief to be able to breath. '_It worked!_' He gave himself a second to calm down, before heading to the broken bell. It shone brightly against the sun, and Rusty picked it up, careful not to move the ball inside. He slowly crept towards the sounds, and the scene came into view.

Longtail was sitting down, looking at a sandy colored she-cat that was twitching and moving a bit. Red smears colored her pelt, and her breathing was shallow. He could also see a large brown tom, sniffing at the she-cat. '_Is that Tigerfall?!_' Rusty panicked, remembering what Greypaw has said. Did Tigerfall find his mentor and began working together? Rusty panicked and his body moved without permission, throwing the bell as far as he could. It hit a tree, making enough noise to get the attention of Tigerfall.

"What was that?" He asked, looking to Longtail. The tom shrugged. "Ill check it out. You go see what that yelping noise was. Couldve been an apprentice but we should be sure." Tigerfall says, turning towards Rusty. '_Oh no, was i really that loud?_' Rusty's heart skipped a beat, and he turned around and began to run.

The world around him flew by as Rusty ran faster than he thought he could. He didnt know where to run, he just did. '_I have to get help. I have to help. I have to do **something**!_' He watched as trees flew by, tall and strong. Then he got an idea.

He turned to a tree, running at it head on. '_Its just like those fake trees my twolegs have, right? Or a fence? Yeah, its easy._' He reassured himself, before leaping up and unsheathing his claws. His claws snagged onto the bark, and he held on even though it felt like he had jumped out of a car onto the tree. He began climbing, getting to the nearest branch. '_Its simple. I just have to-_' Rusty never got to specify what exactly he had to do, before a blur of large brown ran under him.

Rusty held his breath, and jumped.


	6. CHAPTER FOUR

_Fire._

I could feel it, burning and wrapping around me like claws, ripping and scarring my body. It's smoke clogged my lungs, bit my eyes and stung my nose. It surrounded the whole forest, burning and destroying everything it touched.

But in that fire was warmth, where there should have been cold. The fire gave light in the darkness. It destroyed those taller than the weakest trees, letting others have a chance to grow amidst the destruction.

Not every fire was dangerous, but some were sources of kindness and joy. I could see myself in that warm, tame fire. Me and my friends, laughing and playing.

I turned to the wildfire, the untame and dangerous blaze.

And in it, i saw a face. And i knew what i had to do.

* * *

I woke up, gasping and panting. Ive been having the same dream for moons, and i had yet to tell anyone. I know i should probably ask Spottedleaf about it, but i was nervous. What did it all mean?

The wound on my shoulder stung angrily like a wasp, and i tried licking it to soothe the pain a bit. It didnt work, and the wound continued to hurt. With a defeated sigh, i got up and decided to take a walk.

Outside was a beautiful night, the air cool and the area was quiet. I could smell the sharp smell of blood, but i ignored it. Riverclan may have won, but it wouldnt last long. I began to make my way to Spottedleaf's den, to maybe take some poppy seeds and hope i dont wake her up, when i saw him.

Redstar watched the night sky as if the stars were speaking to him. I could see the large wound on his neck, which he had told everyone that it looked worse than it was. He repeatedly declined help from Spottedleaf, getting a good scolding from her before he walked away. I glanced from the medicine cat den to Redstar, before heading towards my leader.

The tom turned and looked at me, nodding greetings. I returned the gesture, sitting next to him. He turned his gaze back to Silverpelt.

"Look." He says, nodding to the sky. I looked. "The stars. Do you notice anything?" I shook my head. "They've changed. Moved, i think. Maybe Starclan is trying to tell me something." I shrugged. "What do you think they're saying?" Redstar sighed.

"I wish i knew. Its all just..." Redstar shook his head. I got closer, laying my tail on his. The tom looked tired. "Happened fast? Yeah. I miss her too." I nodded. Bluestar's leadership was a short one, but she tried to make

Thunderclan better. "Hey, is your neck okay?" I asked, leaning to get a better look. He quickly turned his head away. "Its fine. I had it checked already." He said. I could smell the lie a forest away. I nodded, not saying anything about it.

Redstar breathed out, looking back at the sky. He muttered something, closing his eyes. I leaned to try and listen to what he said. "Redstar?" I asked quietly, concerned that the previous leader's death had knocked his brains out. "Ah, sorry. Its just..." Redstar looked around, and lowered his voice. "When i had my leader ceremony, a cat came and spoke to me. It was mostly... _Personal_ matters they wanted to discuss, but they told me something else. I think the star's changing has something to do with it." I nodded, knowing what he meant. It wasnt a secret that Redstar's gender wasnt what he was born with, but after his nine lives ceremony it changed. It kind of scared me that Starclan had that much control over a cat, that they could change their body as they pleased. I shuddered, imagining a cat making starclan angry so they strip them of their eyes, or their mouth. I pushed the thought away. "The cat told me something was coming. They said 'Amber blazes will burn the clans, find the one to control the flames'. I think its a prophecy, but i didnt recognize the cat, and they kept going on about prophecies and the future. They may have been mad for all i know..."

My mind instantly thought of the dreams i was having. Amber blazes? All fire was orange and amber too, why say 'Amber'? I tried ignoring the thoughts to comfort Redstar. "If starclan let them speak to you, its probably true." I reassured him. He nodded his thanks, wrapping his tail around his paws. I watched as his breathing thinned. His wound was getting worse. "Stay here or go back to your den. Ill get Spottedleaf to get some herbs, okay?" Redstar opened his mouth, probably to stop me, but i was gone, heading off to the Spottedleaf's den.

I walked in as quietly as i could, sniffing the den. The tortoiseshell she-cat was curled up on her nest, feathers and fur weaved into the moss to make it softer. If i had no common sense, id run into a bramble bush just to sleep in the soft nests. I wouldnt have any of the warriors kicking me in their sleep, either. "Comfrey and dock... Comfrey is... Here, and there is..." I paused, spotting some berries. Why was there Yew berries in the medicine cat den? I looked at Spottedleaf, her long fur moving up and down as she breathed. An idea creeped into my mind, making my mouth dry.

If my dreams were about the prophecy, then that would mean that i was important, right? And that face, in the fire. The wildfire, that was hurting others. It had to be stopped, or it would burn the whole forest down. I looked at the berries, and made my decision.

"Redstar, i have some herbs and prey for you." I said through the dock and comfrey, as well as the squirrel. I was shaking a bit, but i think i hid it well. "You didnt have to-" "No, you're my leader. Here, take it." I set down the items, my heart in my throat. This was the right thing to do. The only thing i could do. Redstar smiled, taking the herbs and chewing them. He licked the poultice onto his wound, shivering as he did. It probably hurt him. I wondered how much it would hurt in a second. "You're a good warrior. Whitestorm seems like he doesnt like being deputy much, and i wouldnt be surprised if he asked to step down." Redstar began, biting the squirrel. "If he does, ill consider putting you in his spot. Youre a good warrior,-" His mouth began to foam, and he choked. I looked away, my mouth clenching. This was the right thing. It was. It had to be.

Redstar fell over, his body spasming and shaking. His claws sheathed and unsheathed, his eyes wide. I could see the lines his claws made in the stone, in the corner of my eye. His eyes met mine, betrayal and confusion in them. I couldnt help it. My stomach left my mouth, and bile came up, staining the ground. Redstar went still as i emptied my stomach, sobbing. "I... Im sorry. Im... Im sorry. Oh starclan..." I looked at my leader, tears stinging my eyes like claws. Like _fire._ I closed them, choking and crying. I stopped myself from yowling, cursing starclan for what they made me do.

Redstar breathed again, and i snapped my eyes open. He began coughing, and i began sobbing again. I had forgotten. How could i have been so dumb? Hes a leader, chosen by starclan themselves. He has nine lives. Im so foolish to think-

Redstar began throwing up, the remainder of the death berry joining what i had eaten earlier. And i watched as the leader began shaking again. His neck moved, and i saw his mouth open and close. He was choking on his vomit. I breathed in and out, trying to calm myself as i watched his life slowly drain from him again. "Im sorry." I sobbed, wanting to help, to stop this, to get Spottedleaf and make it all better. But starclan wouldnt let that happen. I repeated the apology, as if it was the only thing that was true, that was real. This couldnt be real, could it?

Redstar choked, and slowly, stopped moving. I watched as he lost another life, and i waited,

And waited,

And waited.

He never drew another breath again.

Redstar was dead. And _i_ killed him.


	7. CHAPTER FIVE

As soon as Rusty jumped, he regretted it.

He landed right on the back of Tigerfall, but had accidentally leaned to the side during his fall. He screamed as he felt his right foreleg suddenly blazed in agony, but he latched his left paw onto Tigerfall's fur. The massive tom growled and dropped, rolling to get him off. Rusty couldnt move his foreleg, and screamed again as he was stuck and was crushed by Tigerfall's weight. Mercifully, Rusty's claw got out of Tigerfall's fur, and he was freed. Tigerfall got up again, crouching and ready to attack, before he saw what Rusty had done. He breathed in, panic apparent in his eyes, as Rusty groaned and clenched his jaw in pain. It took everything in Rusty not to pass out.

He could tell Tigerfall had said something, but Rusty couldn't hear it. His world was spinning, and he was having a hard time processing it all. '_Why cant i feel my leg...?'_ He wondered, pain being a wonderful drug and making him feel oddly calm. Longtail ran over, saying something before seeing Rusty and spotting cold. Tigerfall barked something at him, ans Longtail looked from Tigerfall to Rusty, eyes wide as he nodded and ran. Tigerfall hurried over, and Rusty could hear him now he was closer. "Come on, we're stopping the test. We need to get you to Spottedleaf, and fast." The brown tabby picked up Rusty by the scruff, and Rusty could only let out a groan in acknowledgement. He blinked his eyes, trying to keep them open, before he let them rest. '_I need to sleep. Just for a bit..._'

Rusty didnt know how long it took for him to wake back up, but when he did it was dawn. His shoulder didnt hurt anymore, but his tail stung. He blinked his eyes open, looking around and praying that he had fallen asleep while hunting and that it was all a dream.

It wasnt, and Rusty could see cobwebs and sticks attached to his foreleg, as well as sticks on his tail. It was at an odd angle, and the sticks were tied on tightly. It was uncomfortable, but Rusty decided to not touch it. Looking at his surroundings, Rusty realized he was in the medicine cat's den. He spotted a pretty tortoiseshell she-cat moving leaves and plants around, and he craned his head around to see what she was doing.

"Its rude to stare, you know." The she-cat said, amusement in her voice. She turned her head around, smiling. Rusty squealed, embarrassed. "N-no! I was just looking at those plants..." The she-cat raised an eyebrow. "My twolegs had some plants like those, in their garden." He said, slowly getting up. The she-cat walked over, helping him up. His shoulder was sore, but otherwise was fine. "I never knew them flowers by name, but i thought they looked nice. So i took some. I had this small space where the twolegs never put the plants, so i tried making my own garden." Rusty said, heading to a purple and tall plant. He picked one up gently, heading to a spot of dirt and using a claw to make a hole, before placing the plant in. "It never worked, but for a while it was nice. Pretty, too." He explained, picking up what he knew was a daisy next. He could feel his fur heat up as he continued. He shared his garden once with Smudge, who just laughed. "It was the one thing i could control there. My twolegs controlled everything, my food, my water, my toys and friends. But that garden was the one thing that was truly mine..."

The she-cat looked at the pathetic excuse for a garden. The two sat in silence, before the she-cat moved. She got a golden flower and copied what Rusty had did, placing the flower into the ground as well. "My mentor used to try and plant herbs too." She explained, a faint smile on her lips. "It never worked but he was determined to do it. It would have given us a good supply of herbs if he did." She sighed. "He passed away two moons ago, treating the clan for greencough. He refused to stop even after he got sick too." Rusty looked down at the garden and it's three plants, feeling bad now. "Its okay, he's in Starclan now. He died doing what he loved, and what he believed in." She reassured him, smiling sadly. "I dont think we've gotten properly introduced. Im Spottedleaf."

Rusty nodded, sniffing. "Im Rusty." Spottedleaf nodded. "Tigerfall said so. He also said you tried jumping on him and messed your leg up pretty bad. You're lucky though, it dislocated and didnt break." Rusty flinched. Legs can break? "Yeah. There was an..." The memories flooded back, and Rusty's fur stood up. "There was an apprentice, oh jeez, Tigerfall, he-" Spottedleaf laid her tail on Rusty's back. "Calm, calm. It was a part of the test. Whitestar wanted to see how you would react to a traitor in the clan. The apprentice is fine, she just had some berry juice in her fur." Spottedleaf said, and Rusty calmed down. "Oh, al... Alright then." Rusty nodded, and began licking his fur down. "Did... Did i do good?"

"Well, you managed to rip your leg out of your body and your tail has probably seen better days. I would be surprised if Whitestar didnt let you in." Spottedleaf purred. "Even if you didnt, you'd have one heck of a story to tell your friends." Rusty smiled. "They would never believe me. They dont even believe that Henry caught a bird, and i dont think they would believe me if i said i fought two clan cats..." Spottedleaf smiled. "Do you like it back there? With your twolegs?" She asked. There was no aggression or hate in her voice like Rusty had heard from the other clan cats, only curiousity. Rusty shrugged. "The food is bland, and sometimes the twolegs forget to clean my water bowl and the bottom and sides get slimy." He says. "The litter i have to make dirt in gets everywhere, and Henry has it stuck to his paws, and you cant lick it off either because it tastes gross..." Rusty continued, realizing how much he disliked his twolegs. "They bring me to the vet too and the twoleg there is really mean, and they use this sharp stick and put it into my skin. They even had to take off my fur once, on my paw." Rusty said, showing off the back of his leg where there was a small area of fur that was slightly shorter. "They yell at me when i try playing with them, and they sometimes leave for hours and come back like its normal. They also dont look where they're going and they step on my paws and tail..." He paused. "So i guess i dont really like my twolegs much. I never really thought about it though."

Spottedleaf nodded. "Once you taste mouse its hard to go back to kittypet food. I tried kibble once. Some apprentice had gone to steal some on a dare and came back with a leaf full of kibble and a small bruise they were convinced was the end of the world. They refused to leave until i had one piece. Feathertail had joined in too, so i tried it." She laughed a bit. "Its nothing compared to mouse, but i guess you can still fill a stomach with nothing too." Rusty smiled, but it was short lived. Whitestar let out a loud yowl, announcing a meeting. "Come on, i think he's announcing if you're staying or not."

Rusty nodded and left the den with the help of Spottedleaf, staying near the medicine cat's den. Cats were still waking up, so many were tired and grumpy looking. Rusty spotted Greypaw stumbling out, jokingly asking who died this time.

"As many may know, two days ago a kittypet entered Thunderclan territory, and was offered a spot in Thunderclan. Yesterday this cat went through an exam, to determine if he would stay or not. The exam was to see how this cat would react to a traitor in the clan." Many cats began whispering, wondering if the exam was suited for a new apprentice like Rusty. "Rusty acted well, putting his life on the line to try and stop the traitor. The senior warriors have spoken as well, and we have come to a decision." Rusty held his breath, excitement making his fur prick.

"Rusty will not be join Thunderclan."


	8. CHAPTER SIX

Rusty sat outside of the leader's den, listening to Spottedleaf ripping Whitestar a new ear. "What do you mean he didnt 'perform well enough'? He dislocated his arm, for starclan's sake!" She hissed, and Rusty could tell that her voice was audible even in the clan clearing, as some cats were flinching. Whitestar responded softly, and Spottedleaf continued her rant. Whitestar responded again, which seemed to calm down the medicine cat.

Their conversation continued in soft whispers, and Rusty didnt bother to listen. He was still in shock after the announcement, unsure what to do, especially after telling Spottedleaf exactly how he felt about his twolegs. '_I dont want to spend the rest of my life eating dry kibble and slimy water…_' Rusty thought, looking around. Some cats were expressing their opinion on Rusty's denial of clanlife towards him, some apologizing and offering prey to try and make him feel better, and more sending glares and whispering about him loud enough for him to hear their joy at how he wasnt joining. He glared back, trying to seem tough, but his shoulder was too sore for him to do anything about it.

It took a bit, but eventually Whitestar walked out of the den and invited Rusty in. He limped inside, spotting the nest and making a beeline towards it. Whitestar chuckled as Rusty landed on the nest and flopped over onto it, glad to be able to rest his throbbing leg after sitting outside for what felt like years. Spottedleaf sighed and nosed at his leg, making sure it was still attached correctly. Whitestar sat down, letting the orange tom take over his nest. For a moment Rusty forgot all about his denial into the clan, but the reality came rushing back to him as Whitestar spoke.

"I'm sorry for not letting you into the clan. The senior warriors had me outnumbered, and it felt wrong to overrule them when most are older than me." Whitestar began, shifting his paws uncomfortably. "Personally I believe that your actions proved that you were honorable and would have gotten you into the clan. Instead, for now, you cannot join as a proper member." Spottedleaf nodded, and began speaking. "Im sorry to say it took me as long as it did to agree with Whitestar on this plan he has. There is a cat thats a little less than half a day's walk. He was good friends with one of our previous leaders, Bluestar. Whitestar wants to ask him to oversee your training until you're fit enough to join Thunderclan. It was one of the only ways we could think to be able to eventually get you to join Thunderclan, without something like Starclan coming and intervening." Spottedleaf explained. "Whitestar also wants me to come and watch over you everyday, to make sure your tail and arm heals. We have enough cats that know herbs that can take my place, thank starclan."

Rusty nodded, his head hurting a bit, but excited. Images of a wise old warrior hidden away swam through his head, the thought that someone like that would be training him making his fur prick. "Whats their name?" Rusty asks, his hopes rising. "Barley. He lives in an old barn, which will have plenty of mice for you to practice hunting on, and the hay will catch your fall if you try climbing or fighting. He's trained in battle too, quite well. Most loners see the barn as a good place to live, and try taking it from Barley constantly. Never works, though." Whitestar purred, and Rusty's hopes flew past the stars, now picturing a cat taking on ten cats on his own. Apparently his excitement showed, and Spottedleaf put a paw on his back. Rusty hadnt even noticed he had stood up, and, embarrassed, settled back down. "Spottedleaf will take you to his barn shortly, and it will be covered up as her escorting you back to your twolegs. I would advise that you get some food in you first, though." Rusty nodded, getting up and nodding to Whitestar. Spottedleaf helped him out and down the highrock, leading him to the freshkill pile and telling him to see her when he was ready to leave. Rusty thanked her, and looked at all the prey.

It was odd, seeing many of the little critters he meowed at from a window all in a pile, dead and sightless. He remembered all the times one of his twoleg's friends had come with a small fluffy mouse before, and how happy they were with it. He shrugged the thought away. '_Twolegs and cats are different. We eat critters, they play with them_'. He took a white creature he recognized as a rabbit, which looked young but still as big as his head. He dragged it over to Spottedleaf's den, sitting by the entrance and letting the smell of herbs calm him as he ate the rabbit. His mouth watered at the nutty taste, and he realized exactly how hungry he had been. The baby rabbit was gone within seconds, and Rusty was fighting with some fur in his fangs when Greypaw came over, looking rather droopy.

"You seem to be in a good mood for someone who isnt allowed in the best clan in the forest." He commented, laying down beside him. Rusty quickly realized that he probably looked pretty happy, and tried to look less happy. It didnt work, and his tail betrayed him. Greypaw caught on quickly. "Unless you are allowed! Come on, spill it! What did Whitestar do? Did he uncover a secret rule saying all orange kittypets can join Thunderclan? Or is this all a part of that spy thing he wanted to do?" Greypaw asked in a hushed voice, and when he got no response, proceeded to raise his voice. "HEY EVERYONE! RU-MHmph!" Rusty shoved a paw into Greypaw's mouth, shutting him up. "Look, ill tell you, okay? Just keep quiet or else Spottedleaf is going to pop off my leg again." Greypaw nodded, and Rusty removed his paw, shaking it and making a disgusted sound as his paw was wet with spit. "Whitestar says theres this cat that can train me. His name is Barley and he sounds really cool. He beats up rogues and has this house all to himself." Greypaw tilted his head at the word 'house', and Rusty flinched. 'Guess ill need to fix my speech too…' "Its like a den, but for Humans. Or twolegs, whatever you call them." Greypaw nodded, and the excitement spread to him too as Rusty watched his imagination also began working. "Could i come too? Please? I want to see this 'Barley'!" He asked, thick fur puffing up. "I dont think so, i'm not even supposed to tell anyone. Maybe you could visit, though!" Rusty reassured his friend, smiling.

"Rusty, its time to go. If you spend any longer gossiping you'll turn into one of the elders." Spottedleaf said, poking her head out of her den. "I have some herbs that will help with the walk since you probably arent used to long walks like this." Rusty nodded, already smelling the herbs that she had set down near the entrance. "Looks like i have to go. Ill see you later." Rusty said, getting up and shoving the rabbit's remains to Greypaw. He happily began trying to find scraps, but gave an angry glare once he realized he was given fur and bone. Rusty couldnt help but laugh, heading into the den. 'I cant believe it, im actually going to be a clan cat!'


	9. CHAPTER SEVEN

The day had went by extremely slowly. Rusty's paws hurt and Spottedleaf had said he was allowed to rest once, and reassured Rusty that the exercise would hurt at first but it would get better. Rusty didnt believe her, but he didnt want to waste his only rest stop, so he pushed on. He had asked a few questions through the trip, but mostly it was quiet. The sun was warm though and the air cool, so Rusty didnt mind and just tried to enjoy the day despite his paw pads demanding to rest.

"We're halfway there. Fourtrees is ahead, which would be a good spot to rest." Spottedleaf said, making Rusty groan. "Only halfway?" He complained, and Spottedleaf laughed. "Im sorry Rusty. I promise eventually it will get better." She said, walking into a clearing.

Rusty's eyes widened. The ground was soft, and padded down by the paw prints of cats, over many moons. There was four large, grand oak trees, with one beautiful tree to the side, the biggest one there. The bottoms of the four trees had claw markings all over them, worn down by moons and moons of cats. Rusty could smell the cats that have come here, and it made his nose tingle. In middle of the clearing, a cat was sitting down, looking up at the stars.

"Spottedleaf?" Rusty asked, looking at the calico in the clearing. "Yes Rusty?" "Who is that cat?" He asked, stepping towards the tom in the middle. Spottedleaf looked at him, confused. "Rusty, theres no one here."

Rusty paused, confused. _'But hes right there_!'. He decided not to get closer as the strange cat began speaking.

"_Look._" He says, nodding to the sky. Rusty looked up, but saw only blue, clear sky. "_The stars. Do you notice anything?_" The tom paused "_They've changed. Moved, i think. Maybe Starclan is trying to tell me something._"

"But its day, sir. Theres no stars anywh-" Rusty began, but the tom began speaking again. He shivered in the air, his body shifted as if Rusty had closed his eyes and opened them again to another time.

"_When i had my leader ceremony, a cat came and spoke to me. It was mostly... **Personal** matters they wanted to discuss, but they told me something else. I think the star's changing has something to do with it._" The tom said, still looking at the sky. His ears had gone back, clearly troubled. Rusty opened his mouth to say something, to try and comfort him, but the tom continued. "_The cat told me something was coming. They said 'Amber blazes will burn the clans, find the one to control the flames'. I think its a prophecy, but i didnt recognize the cat, and they kept going on about prophecies and the future. They may have been mad for all i know..._"

Rusty was able to speak this time, without interruptions. "Prophecies? Blaze? Sir, im sorry, but you may be right. Theres no such thing as prophecies, and certainly no cat can see the future." Rusty said, walking forwards. Once he got close he could see the tom better. He was average size, and had splashes of ginger on his dark grey body. His tail was long and red, and he had a large wound on his neck. Rusty instinctively looked at it, reaching a paw to try and move some fur that looked like it was irritating the wound.

The image moved again, and Rusty choked. The tom had went from breathing, living, to on the ground in a heap. His fur was raised and his teeth bared, white foam and a pool of brown vomit was surrounding him. He was conlvusing, shaking and clawing at the ground. His eyes were wide, and his paws dug at the ground, claws moving in and out as if he had lost control of them.

Rusty turned to Spottedleaf, who was confused but had let Rusty do his thing. "Spottedleaf! Help him!" He cried, looking at the dying tom. Gurgles rose from his mouth, the brown and white liquid bubbling. Spottedleaf didnt move, and Rusty was desperately trying to get her to talk, to do _something_. "Move! Help him! Hes dying and you're just _standing_ there!" He screamed, claws unsheathing. He probably looked pathetic, a small kitten threatening a cat like Spottedleaf, but it seemed to work. Spottedleaf came over, and stepped right into the tom.

Rusty's jaw dropped open as Spottedleaf looked at Rusty, concerned, and began waving a paw around. Her paw moved in and out of the body, which had stilled at this point, and Rusty's brain hurt, trying to process it all. "But... He was... We were..." He stumbled over his words, tears forming in his eyes. '_But he was right there, clear as day!_'

The tom faded out of sight, simply not existing anymore. Rusty let out a sob, putting his paw where he was just to make sure he was gone. He was, and Rusty could only feel the soft grass. "Rusty?" Spottedleaf asked, softening her voice. Rusty could only manage a slight nod. "Rusty, what did you see?"

"There... There was a tom, and he was talking about how... The stars changed. And about a orange fire or something. And... And then he was..." He choked, and began sobbing again. "He... Was on... The ground, and... He was dying... And you were standing there and i was _so scared_ and..."

Spottedleaf listened, nodding and laying her tail on his back. The warmth was nice, and soon Rusty found himself walking headfirst into Spottedleaf's chest, crying. Spottedleaf tensed, but relaxed and wrapped herself around Rusty, curling her tail and resting a paw on Rusty's back as he cried. The energy of the small trip, his sore paws and leg, as well as what he saw caught up with him all at the same time, and Rusty collapsed, passing out into Spottedleaf's comfort.

The rest didnt last long, since about five minutes later Spottedleaf had moved and let gravity take Rusty. He yelped as the floor hit him hard, and he scrambled to his feet. "We can stay for a bit, but its been almost an hour. Id rather not get caught here at night." She said, looking at him with sympathy. '_An hour? The rest had only lasted what felt like a minute..._' "Are you alright?" She asked, and slowly Rusty nodded. "Y... Yeah, im fine. Its just like a bad dream, right...?" Rusty mumbled, speaking more to himself than Spottedleaf. The she-cat smiled, nodding. "Alright then. Lets go, and we can eat at Barley's."

Rusty's mood picked up at the mention of Barley. The scene of the cat had spooked him, and he didnt think he would get the image of out of his head anytime soon, but he felt the excited surge of energy at the mention of the famed warrior. Spottedleaf seemed to pick up on this, and smiled. Rusty got up and followed Spottedleaf as she began to lead the way, the day getting warmer as the sun creeped overhead.

Rusty paused, glancing back at the Fourtrees. He could still smell the tom, and his heart hurt a bit. '_Who was he? Why was he here, and what happened to him?' Rusty_ wondered, watching the spot he had died on. "Rusty, come on!" Spottedleaf called, and Rusty turned back. "Coming!" He called back, picking up his pace and making his way back to Spottedleaf. '_Dont worry, sir. Whoever you are, ill find out what happened..._'


	10. CHAPTER EIGHT

I did it.

I killed Redstar.

Its been about half a moon, and i had lived with that fact.

Im not afraid to say it anymore. Redstar was killed, i had done it. Starclan put their will through me, and i had done as they pleased.

The dreams i had the night of Redstar's death was peaceful. The forest was no longer ablaze, and the fire didnt hurt. It was warm, caring.

And yet i ran from it.

I ran as fast as i could. I was afraid to return to my clan. Thunderclan.

Redstar's death flashed through my eyes. As time went on, the image became less accurate. Memory played with emotion, and now i always saw him, on the cold ground. I heard him talk, before life drained from his eyes. Tell me how i had failed, how i was unfit to be a true Thunderclan warrior.

Was this the right choice?

I could smell the cats chasing me, yelling at me. Were they Thunderclan? Or some rowdy loners? I couldnt remember.

It did not matter. All that mattered was running.

But not all hope was lost, was it?

Trees flew by, and slowly they began to lessen. Soon they opened up, into a flat, open area. Mud stuck to my paws as i ran. I looked back, seeing my chasers. They had stopped.

I had no time left. I looked forwards. I wondered why the chase had ended. I continued to run, and the smell of the thunderpath hit me.

I stopped, looking around. Then i saw the two lights, charging at me. I couldnt move, my paws refused to.

I remember my last thoughts before the monster hit. They say you see your life flashed before your eyes, right before death.

I saw him. I saw who had told me to kill, who had given the order. He smiled, kind words making me feel at rest.

"_This is not your day to die. Not today. You've done so well, my apprentice. But there is more to be done._"

I nodded, understanding. "What is your name?" I asked. I wanted to know who i was helping, which starclan cat willed these actions.

The tom smiled. "_You may call me Hound. Now, return home. We have work to do._"


	11. CHAPTER NINE

The rest of the trip took less than Rusty expected. True to Spottedleaf's word the trip got easier, and soon they were making the travel with ease. The forest opened up to vast hills with bushes and holes, and despite Spottedleaf's warning Rusty managed to end up falling into various rabbit holes, getting his legs stuck in them. He almost got bit by a rabbit too, dragging his bandaged tail on the ground and over rabbit holes. Rusty learned his lesson, and decided to just carry his tail in his mouth.

Soon enough Rusty spotted the large barn Spottedleaf had described. It was big and was two floors, and while worn down from age it was still rather sturdy. He could see hay poking out from a empty window, and a white and black cat sitting in the frame. The two cats got closer, and Rusty could see the various scars the tom had on him. "Hello Barley!" Spottedleaf called, and the tom raised his tail in greeting. "'Ello, Spottedleaf! Who's yer friend?" Barley asks, looking at Rusty. "Nasty looking wound he has there, too. Did one of them rogues try attacking?"

Rusty looked at his shoulder, and only noticed a patch of fur had been scratched off, leaving a wound there. Rusty sniffed at it, surprised it wasnt hurting. "It looks worse than it is. May we come in?" Spottedleaf asked, and Barley nodded. "Ill ask Violet to get you folks some food. Come in!" Barley purred, standing up and hopping down. Rusty's heart stopped a beat as he fell, but the tom landed on a bit of overhanging wood, and quickly made his way down. Barley purred, amused, and walked past Rusty, who realised he probably looked rather surprised. He wiped the look from his face, and followed the tom into the barn.

Inside was rather similar to the outside, old looking and filled with hay. There was a few logs that seemed to be helping keep the barn up, and there was a upper level that Rusty hadn't seen before. There was another cat here, a brown and white she-cat that reminded Rusty of his sisters. The she-cat smiled as they entered, and stood up and walked to Spottedleaf, who was also smiling. The two greeted eachother, and began chatting about the day. Rusty felt out of place, so instead he removed himself from the conversation and looked for Barley. He found him, near some hay, crouching and moving slowly towards it. Rusty's ears pricked as he could hear the faint heartbeat of a mouse in the hay. Rusty decided to watch, hoping to learn something.

Barley creeped forward slowly, quiet as the wind. He stopped, and Rusty could see his legs moving into place, preparing to leap. Rusty stopped watching as he noticed a small hole near the hay, and glanced back at Barley. '_If he doesnt catch the mouse, it probably has tunnels to move through. And if this is one of those tunnels..._' Rusty thought, fur pricking. '_Maybe i could show Barley how good of a hunter i am!_'

Rusty slinked over to the hole, crouching down and preparing to catch anything that ran out. He could hear barley leaping and landing in the hay, and Barley swearing as he returned with nothing. However, true to what Rusty hoped, a small grey mouse darted out of the hole.

Rusty's claws were quick, and his paw slammed on the mouse's tail. He darted his jaws down, trying to copy the bite marks he had seen on the prey in Thunderclan. He felt something crush under his jaws, and the mouse went still. Rusty tried not to think of what he had broken, and held the catch proudly in his mouth.

Barley came over, looking at the catch. "Well done. Seems like I dont need to be hunting for you, after all." He said, nodding his approval. Rusty was overjoyed, and sat down to eat his first catch. The mouse was juicy, unlike his dry kibble at home. He cringed at the thought of returning to that food, but with that thought came the wondering of how his twolegs were doing. He felt bad, leaving them without saying goodbye, and he quietly hoped they would be okay without him.

Spottedleaf walked over, seemingly finished with her conversation, and sat down with Rusty. "Are you going to be eating the rest of that?" She asked, and Rusty shook his head. The thoughts of his twolegs missing him hurt, and he had lost his appetite. Spottedleaf took the mouse, eating it. "Violet says she's going to ask Barley, and that he'll probably let you stay and will teach you." Rusty nodded.

"Ill be, uh, staying the night." Spottedleaf said, catching the attention of Rusty. Since when did Spottedleaf stutter? "They said that, its too late to, uh, leave already. And that i should stay."

Rusty grew concerned. Did Spottedleaf not like it here? But she seemed so happy to see the cats here, especially Violet. Rusty opened his mouth to ask, but Spottedleaf stood up, licking her fur. "Ill go get some herbs, stay here." Rusty nodded, watching her leave. She paused to talk to Violet, who gave her an affectionate lick on the cheek before Spottedleaf left. '_Why would she not like it here? Her and Violet seem like really good friends, too..._'

Barley walked over to Rusty, carrying a mouse in his jaws. He set the mouse down, laying down and beginning to eat. The two sat in silence, until Barley broke it about a minute later. "So, Spottedleaf wants me to take you under my wing, eh?" He asked, smiling. "Im Barley. That over 'ere is Violet, my sister. You're Rusty, right?" Rusty nodded, moving away the skeleton of his catch. He assumed he would have to bury it somewhere later, but he didnt know where.

"Spottedleaf says we cant start until your leg heals completely, and your tail too. She used 'er medicine cat vocabulary to try and hide it, but i think you're going to get a pretty neat scar on your shoulder. She also doesnt know if your tail will set properly, but i didn't understand most of the words she was telling me." Barley said, looking at his shoulder with the wound. "Mind telling me how you got so badly beaten up?"

Rusty told him, explaining the exam to get in and how he had jumped onto Tigerfall. He left out some parts, like how he managed to mess up the landing, and said he dislocated him arm while holding onto Tigerfall and got rammed into a tree. Barley nodded, listening in.

"Then Spottedleaf had to patch me up, and she said Whitestar wanted me here. So, here i am." Rusty explained, pausing. "What do you wanna say, kid?" Barley asked, picking up on his hesitation. Rusty sighed, remembering Fourtrees. "Barley, whats Starclan?"

"Ah, that. Its where the clan cats think you go when you pass away. They say each star is a warrior that passed, in Silverpelt." Barley explained. "Silverpelt is the mother of all cats. She lives in the sky at night, and chases Bluesky, the father of all cats. Everyday they run around, circling the forest. Silverpelt's fur was as dark as night, while Bluesky's was a bright blue. The sun and the moon are their eyes, and they watch over the forest and protect us." Rusty listened, curious. Surely no cat could be so large that they covered the sky, right? "They say any cat that can be seen by Silverpelt has a chance at being good. That's why cats that are evil, and have done wrong, are unsee-able by her, and live in the dark forest. Personally i dont follow Starclan's teachings, but the clan cats seem to, and i respect it. Violet seems to be more interested in Starclan than me, with how much she's with Spottedleaf."

Rusty nodded. "They seem to be awfully close. Are they friends?" Barley laughed, shaking his head. "Something like that, kid. Its complicated." He purred. "Its getting late. Go find a spot in the hay and go to sleep. You'll be needing the energy. Violet is going to be training you tomorrow." Rusty got up, taking the skeleton and burying it outside. He then went and did as Barley said, finding a nice spot that had a few bird feathers in it to soften the hay.

He curled up, listening to the world outside. He couldnt fall asleep, no matter how hard he tried. He twisted and turned, trying to get comfortable in his nest. He soon decided to get up, find a new place. He opened his eyes, and smog filled his lungs.

Fire.

The barn had set on fire.

Rusty coughed, eyes hurting against the bright light. He could see Spottedleaf at the entrance, yelling at him to hurry, that the fire was coming. Rusty ran, pelt burning. Rusty saw her eyes, scared and wide, the color of autumn leaves. It reflected the fire, savage and terrible. He yelled, trying to stop as the fire began to spread towards her, to her paws. She didnt notice, the fire spreading across her pelt. It burned her, and Rusty rushed to help her, to save her. She screamed, as if suddenly she could feel again. Rusty moved, paws scrambling.

He couldnt run. Pain surged through his tail as something crushed it, and he turned. A large cat, powerful and merciless as a river, had grabbed his tail. His amber eyes blazed, and he smiled. "_Shes next, little kittypet..._" He hissed, voice wicked. "_Better run, far far away..._"

Rusty woke up suddenly, breathing hard. His fur pricked up, and slowly Rusty calmed down from the nightmare. "_Shes next..._" The cat's voice echoed in his head, and Rusty ignored it. It didnt work, and Rusty just got more scared. He got up and decided to check on her. Make sure she was okay. Just in case.

It didnt take long. Rusty climbed a pile of hay to find Spottedleaf entangled with Violet. The two she-cats were curled up with eachother, looking like one mass of brown and orange fur. Rusty tilted his head. Its not like it was cold out or anything, right? Rusty was going to wake Spottedleaf and tell her about the dream, but he decided against it. The medicine cat seemed happy with Violet's warmth, and he didnt want to bother her. Instead, he laid down nearby, close enough to hear the two she-cats' breathing. It helped, and soon Rusty was pulled back into the embrace of sleep.


End file.
